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MacArthur: Not many have a relationship with Leafs coach Carlyle

Randy Carlyle

Toronto Maple Leafs hockey head coach Randy Carlyle gestures during a news conference in Toronto, Tuesday, April 10, 2012. A letter to fans posted on the Leafs’ website Monday asks for forgiveness after the team missed the playoffs for the seventh straight year. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Chris Young)

AP

Clarke MacArthur is getting ready for his first regular season game against the Toronto Maple Leafs squad he left over the summer. The 28-year-old forward had 62 points in 2011-12, but he fell in the Leafs’ depth charts while working under coach Randy Carlyle.

Now that he’s a member of the Ottawa Senators, he doesn’t plan to talk with his former bench boss.

“I didn’t have a relationship (with him) and not many guys do,” MacArthur told Sportsnet. “It’s one of those things where he runs the show there and everyone knows that and that’s the way it is.

“It’s worked for him in the past, he’s got a (Stanley) Cup from that, but at the same time there’s other ways to do things, too.”

MacArthur explained that he felt Carlyle only talked to him when the coach had criticisms to offer and that got grating.

“You’re old enough to know (you) made a mistake,” MacArthur said. “You don’t need to hear it every five seconds.”

He’s not the only one that’s publicly vented about Carlyle. Mikhail Grabovski was far harsher in his assessment after the Maple Leafs bought him out.

Grabovski also saw his playing time drop under Carlyle and signed with the Washington Capitals over the summer. He’s gotten off to a hot start with them with three goals and five points in two games.

At the same time, not all of Carlyle’s former players feel as negatively towards him. MacArthur’s teammate Bobby Ryan felt like his was a scapegoat at times for Carlyle when he was coaching the Anaheim Ducks, but in retrospect Ryan has softened his view.

“He’s a tough coach,” Ryan said last month. “I do still really owe him quite a bit for becoming the player I am. That isn’t lost on me one bit.”

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